Sunset Canyon
A countertop we fabricate and install — see it in real kitchens below, then get your free quote.
Details
- Material
- Natural Granite
Templated, fabricated, and installed by our own crew across the northwest suburbs.
How we do granite countertops →
Free in-home quoteIn real rooms
5 rooms photographed with this surface.
These are the surface maker's room photos, not Ace jobs — they are the honest way to show a color in daylight before you have seen a slab. We will show you ours in person, and the slab itself before we cut it.
In a kitchen 
Close-up in a kitchen 
Close-up in a kitchen 
Installed view 
Installed view
How it lives — durability & care
Independent ratings and the real maintenance routine for granite.
| Factor | Rating | What that means day to day |
|---|---|---|
| Etch/acid | 4/5 | Mostly acid-resistant; occasional stones with calcite content can etch — test a sample. |
| Heat | 4/5 | Handles hot cookware well, though repeated thermal shock can stress a stone with natural fissures — trivets still smart. |
| Impact/chipping | 4/5 | Strong slab; edges, corners, and sink cutouts can chip. |
| Moisture | 4/5 | Porous when unsealed; well-sealed granite handles wet zones fine. |
| Scratch | 4/5 | About 6-7 Mohs; resists knives and cookware. Light polished colors show wear soonest. |
| Stain | 4/5 | Very good when sealed; oils can shadow unsealed stone. Reseal roughly yearly on lighter, more porous colors. |
| Sunlight (UV) | 5/5 | UV-stable; fine in sunrooms and outdoor kitchens. |
| Everyday wear | 5/5 | Polish holds up under decades of daily use; one of the best long-haul kitchen surfaces. |
1–5, higher is better. Independent material ratings, not a manufacturer claim.
Care routine
- Daily cleaning — Daily · Clean with a pH-neutral stone cleaner or a little mild dish soap in warm water; rinse and dry. Blot spills instead of wiping so you do not spread them — oil, wine, and coffee are the ones that stain if the sealer has worn. · Avoid: Vinegar, lemon, ammonia, general bathroom or tub cleaners, abrasive powders — acids dull the polish and strip sealer faster; rust removers with hydrofluoric acid damage even granite · If you skip it: low-medium — the wrong cleaner will not ruin granite overnight, but it shortens sealer life and slowly dulls the finish
- Oil-stain poultice — As-needed · For a dark oil mark: mix baking soda and water to a peanut-butter paste (or use a commercial stone poultice), spread it half an inch thick over the stain, cover with plastic wrap, tape the edges, and leave 24 hours. The paste draws the oil out as it dries. Repeat for stubborn stains, then reseal that area. · Avoid: Scrubbing with solvents or abrasives — the stain is IN the stone, not on it, and scrubbing does nothing but damage the polish · If you skip it: medium — untreated oil stains keep spreading and darkening, and old stains may never fully lift
- Resealing — Yearly · When the water test fails: clean the counter, let it dry fully, apply a penetrating (impregnating) stone sealer per label directions, and buff off the excess before it hazes. Once a year is typical for kitchen granite; heavy-use counters may need it more often, light-use less. Remember sealers make stone stain-resistant, not stain-proof. · Avoid: Topical "shine" waxes and dressings that build a film; sealing over a dirty or damp counter · If you skip it: medium-high — unsealed granite absorbs cooking oil and wine; set-in oil stains need a poultice, and widespread staining calls for professional help
- Water-drop sealer test — Quarterly · Pour a few drops of water on the busiest areas (by the sink, prep zone) and wait 15-20 minutes. If water still beads, the sealer is working. If it soaks in and darkens the stone, it is time to reseal. Let the stone tell you the schedule instead of the calendar. · Avoid: Guessing — some dense granites go years without needing sealer, some porous ones need it annually · If you skip it: low by itself — but skipping the test means you discover a failed sealer from a stain instead of a bead
How it gets into your kitchen
7 steps, 14–42 days end to end.
Choose material and get quotes
Shortlist materials, visit a showroom or slab yard, and get an itemized quote: material, fabrication, edge profile, cutouts, tear-out, template fee. Selection pace is the homeowner's to control — a few days to two weeks is typical.
Tip: Rough tape-measure dimensions within an inch are fine for quoting; the fabricator laser-measures before anything is cut. Take samples home and look at them in your own morning and evening light before committing.
Lock in sink, faucet, and cooktop before template day
Every cutout and faucet hole is cut at the shop from exact specifications, so the sink, faucet (including soap dispenser or filter taps), and cooktop models must be final before templating. An undermount sink usually needs to be physically on site at the template appointment.
Tip: This is the deadline that ambushes people. Changing the sink or cooktop after templating typically adds 1-3 weeks of re-fabrication. Buy the sink early and keep the spec sheets handy.
Template appointment
The fabricator laser-measures or physically templates the installed cabinets and walls — capturing out-of-square corners and bowed walls the stone must be scribed to. Takes 1-2 hours. Cabinets must be set, level, and permanent; seam locations and overhangs are agreed on the spot.
Tip: Be home for this one. Decisions made at template (seam placement, overhang depth, backsplash height) are cut in stone — literally.
Fabrication at the shop
Slab is cut, cutouts made, edges profiled, and surfaces polished. Typical shops run 1-3 weeks; imported or exotic material can run 4-8 weeks. Fall pre-holiday rush and spring-summer peak stretch queues.
Tip: This is the quiet gap where nothing seems to happen at your house. If timing matters (holiday, listing), ask for the shop's current queue length before signing — it changes by season.
Tear-out and prep
Old tops come off, plumbing is disconnected, cabinets are checked level and shimmed. Often done the morning of install day; complex tear-outs (tile-over-mortar tops) can take a full day.
Tip: Clear the counters and empty the sink base cabinet the night before. Expect the water to the kitchen to be off from now until reconnection.
Installation day
Slabs are set, seams joined and color-matched, sink mounted, cooktop cutout fitted. Typically 4-6 hours; large or multi-seam kitchens can run a second day.
Tip: Plan dinner out. Keep pets and kids clear — crews are moving several-hundred-pound slabs through your doorways.
Reconnect plumbing and let adhesives cure
Silicone and seam epoxy cure 24-48 hours before the sink returns to service and heavy loads go on the tops. Faucet and disposal hookup is often a separate plumber visit the next day.
Tip: Do not mount the faucet, load the dishwasher against the new top, or stand mixer-anything on the counters until the cure window passes. Ask who reconnects plumbing — fabricators often do not.
What it costs installed
Published benchmark ranges, so you can sanity-check any quote — including ours.
| Line item | Typical range | Unit | As of |
|---|---|---|---|
| Granite countertop installed | $40–$100 | per sq ft | 2026-07 |
| Granite countertop installed | $55–$175 | per sq ft | 2026-07 |
| Granite countertop project, typical kitchen, all-in | $3,800–$7,500 | per project | 2026-07 |
| Faucet/accessory hole drilled in stone countertop | $65–$120 | per hole | 2026-07 |
| Kitchen countertop project, 30-50 sqft | $2,000–$10,000 | per project | 2026-07 |
| Sink cutout | $150–$400 | per cutout | 2026-07 |
Regional benchmarks for the Chicago market — not an Ace quote. Your number depends on square footage, edge, cutouts and tear-out.
Edge profile upcharges
| Edge tier | Upcharge | Unit |
|---|---|---|
| Edge upgrade — mid-range profiles (full bullnose, ogee, cove) | $12–$20 | per linear ft |
| Edge upgrade — premium profiles (DuPont, chiseled, laminated, triple pencil, mitered) | $20–$35 | per linear ft |
| Edge upgrade — simple profiles (wide bevel, pencil round, half/demi bullnose) | $5–$12 | per linear ft |
Over a standard eased edge. chiseled rock-face, dupont, laminated double edge and the rest are explained in the edge-profiles guide.
Sources: SlabWise, 2026; Chicago Countertop Company; SlabWise; SlabWise, 2026
Similar surfaces
Same family — worth seeing side by side before you commit.
Questions about this surface
Are concrete countertops as low-maintenance as they look?
No — concrete is one of the highest-maintenance counters despite its industrial toughness. It needs resealing at least yearly (plus waxing in between), acids etch both the sealer and the cement paste, and hairline cracks from curing and settling are considered normal, not defects. Budget-wise it is also not a shortcut: at $65-135/sq ft installed you are paying artisan labor rates. Choose it for the custom look, not to save money or effort — or get the same aesthetic in a concrete-look quartz.
Are countertops priced by the square foot or by the slab — and why does it matter?
Quotes are usually expressed per square foot, but stone is bought by the slab, and that mismatch explains several surprises. If your kitchen needs 55 sq ft and slabs run 50 sq ft, you are buying two slabs and paying for the waste — sometimes a small layout tweak that fits one slab saves four figures. It also makes vein placement a real decision: ask to see your countertop outlines laid over the actual slab before cutting, so the dramatic vein lands on the island rather than under the dish rack.
Are countertops really cheaper downstate than in Chicago?
Generally yes - regional surveys put installed granite around $86 and quartz around $78 per square foot in the Peoria area versus roughly $100 and $91 in Chicago, reflecting lower labor and overhead. The slab material itself costs about the same statewide, so most of the gap is fabrication and install labor; downstate you also avoid the high-rise access and permit-parking surcharges common in the city.
Are recycled-glass countertops as durable as regular quartz?
Resin-bound recycled-glass surfaces behave much like engineered quartz: non-porous, stain-resistant, and never in need of sealing. Cement-bound versions are closer to polished concrete — they want periodic sealing and their edges can chip under impact. Neither type tolerates hot pans directly. The bigger practical issue in Illinois, Wisconsin, and Indiana is availability: fewer fabricators stock recycled glass, so compare warranties and local service before committing, and note that recycled-content quartz lines from major brands can deliver similar green credentials with easier sourcing.
Words that show up on a quote
Sixteen terms fabricators use as if everyone knows them.
- Mohs hardness
- A 1-10 mineral hardness scale used to compare countertop scratch resistance. Marble sits around 3-4 (scratches easily), granite 6-7, quartz and quartzite about 7, porcelain 7-8. A steel knife blade is roughly 5.5 — materials above that resist kitchen-knife scratches.
- Apron-front sink
- Also called a farmhouse sink: a deep bowl whose front face is exposed, replacing a strip of the cabinet front. Requires a modified, reinforced sink base - fireclay and cast iron versions commonly weigh 100-200 lb - and a countertop cut that wraps three sides of the bowl instead of a simple oval.
- Arris
- The sharp line where two surfaces of a countertop meet, such as the top and the edge face. Easing the arris means softening that line slightly so it resists chipping and feels smooth.
- Dolomitic marble
- A calcium-magnesium stone frequently sold as "soft quartzite" or under names like "super white." It looks like quartzite but etches and scratches like marble. Verify any quartzite purchase with a lemon-juice test on a sample: true quartzite will not etch.
- Edge grain
- Butcher-block construction where boards are glued with their long edges up, showing parallel strips of grain. More stable and affordable than end grain (the checkerboard of growth rings used on chopping blocks) and the standard construction for wood countertops.
- Edge profile
- The shape a fabricator grinds and polishes into the exposed front edge of a countertop - from a plain eased square to decorative curves like ogee. It affects style, chip resistance, cleaning effort, and price.
- Engineered quartz
- A factory-made slab of roughly 90% ground natural quartz mineral bound with ~10% polymer resin and pigments. Non-porous and never needs sealing, but the resin limits heat and UV tolerance. Sold under brands like Cambria, Silestone, Caesarstone, and LG Viatera.
- Etching
- A dull, slightly rough mark left when acid (lemon, vinegar, wine, some cleaners) chemically dissolves the polished surface of a calcium-based stone like marble. Etching is not a stain: sealer cannot prevent it, and removing it requires re-polishing the stone.
- Laminated edge
- An edge thickened by gluing a second strip of matching stone flat beneath the front edge, doubling the apparent slab thickness; the glue line remains visible on the edge face.
- Mitered edge
- An edge built from two stone pieces each cut at 45 degrees and epoxied so the seam hides at the corner, making thin stone read as a much thicker slab.
- Ogee
- An S-shaped decorative edge profile: a concave sweep on top flowing into a convex curve below. A classic choice for traditional and formal kitchens.
- Sink gauge
- The thickness of the steel in a stainless sink; lower numbers mean thicker metal. 16 gauge is about 0.063 in (1.59 mm) and resists dents and noise best; 18 gauge is about 0.047 in (1.2 mm) and is the value standard for residential bowls. Thinner than 18 gauge, flex and drumming become noticeable.
- Sink reveal
- The amount of sink rim left visible at an undermount cutout. A positive reveal leaves a sliver of rim showing (forgiving to fabricate, the common default); a zero or flush reveal aligns counter and bowl edges exactly (precision work that costs more); a negative reveal overhangs the bowl (sleek, but the thin lip can chip and the hidden rim traps grime). The reveal is set permanently when the countertop is cut.
- Sintered stone
- A slab made by compacting mineral powders and clays under extreme pressure and heat ("sintering") until the particles fuse — no resin binder. Heat-proof, UV-stable, and non-porous; Dekton and Neolith are the best-known brands. Often grouped with porcelain slab countertops.
- Stone sealer
- A penetrating liquid applied to porous natural stone (granite, quartzite, marble) and concrete that slows liquid absorption so spills can be wiped before they stain. Wears off with use — most stones need resealing every 6-24 months. A quick test: if water stops beading and starts darkening the stone, it is time.
- Waterfall edge
- A countertop treatment where the surface turns 90 degrees and continues down the side of an island or cabinet run to the floor, usually with mitered, book-matched corners.
Want this in your kitchen?
We fabricate and install Sunset Canyon out of our Elk Grove Village shop — templated digitally, cut to your cabinets, installed by our own crew.
Ready for a real number?
Free in-home template and an honest quote — you keep your money until there's a countertop to trade it for.